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Did a very dumb thing. Car sitting for 2 years...

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It might be worth getting a can of fresh gas to top off the tank, but at *only* two years old, it's likely the gas will be fine (not really, but good enough to get the car running).

Once you have it running, take it for a short (5mile) drive. If you haven't already, top off the tank with new fuel. This drive will help you identify anything immediately wrong.

Now change the oil, and address anything else you know about. Then go for a longer drive, but not too far off the beaten track. If you get through this successfully, call it good and move on.
 
Ah crap. So I popped in a new battery. Put some new fuel in there along with the fuel water remover I already put in.

I turn the key and nothing. Nothing turns, no sounds, nothing. I get a red battery light icon and a red oil icon on the dash. That's it.

What could be wrong?
 
fuzzybabybunny said:
Ah crap. So I popped in a new battery. Put some new fuel in there along with the fuel water remover I already put in.

I turn the key and nothing. Nothing turns, no sounds, nothing. I get a red battery light icon and a red oil icon on the dash. That's it.

What could be wrong?
Click to expand...

Sounds like the starter solenoid might be stuck, give the starter a couple of good whacks with a wrench and see if it starts.

The other possibility is some critter decided that the wiring made a good home and chewed the cables going to the starter to bits.
 
Gasoline usually lasts a bit over 4 years here in the Mohave desert(northern AZ border).

I've had a few vehicles that went 8 years(garaged) and the fuel was terrible in them, thats a nightmare to fix. But I've got one that is currently about 4 years sitting now(out in the sun) and the fuel still smells good, I'm going to start it up in a few days.
 
CrackRabbit said:
Sounds like the starter solenoid might be stuck, give the starter a couple of good whacks with a wrench and see if it starts.

The other possibility is some critter decided that the wiring made a good home and chewed the cables going to the starter to bits.
Click to expand...

Dammit. Well, I'll try to find it and give it a whack (have no idea what it looks like even or where it's at).

I don't have time to fix this. I'm just going to put fuel stabilizer in the tank and raise the car on 4 jacks. Anything else I need to do? Just disconnect the battery and leave it there under the hood?
 
Dammit, looks like something is just wrong with the whole thing.

Cleaned the contacts for the battery and plugs. When I open the driver door the engine oil and car door warning lights flash on and off - I remember that with the door open only the car door warning light would turn on, and it wouldn't flash - it would be solid.

With the door closed, the engine oil light stays dimly lit for a couple seconds, then shuts off. At one time the speedometer needle and gas needle jumped on their own - this is not even with the key in the car.

With the key in the car and turned to Acc, nothing turns on. Well, the clock is *really* dim, headlights don't turn on, no blinkers, no head unit.

Looks like the electrical system is just kinda shot.

The parking brake is also stuck (manual transmission).

Should I just put it on jacks, add in fuel stabilizer, disconnect the battery and leave it in the bay, and return to it after a year or so or try to get some mechanic to see it while I'm gone? I'm leaving tomorrow.
 
Reading your newest post, I'm thinking something chewed the wires and may be causing a ground out.
If you're leaving tomorrow there isn't a whole lot you can do besides check the wires for breaks and hope you find one.
 
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fuzzybabybunny said:
Ah crap. So I popped in a new battery. Put some new fuel in there along with the fuel water remover I already put in.

I turn the key and nothing. Nothing turns, no sounds, nothing. I get a red battery light icon and a red oil icon on the dash. That's it.

What could be wrong?
Click to expand...

Simplest route first. Put the new battery on a bench charger overnight and then try again. Or just try really giving the connections a good cleaning.

ZV
 
Zenmervolt said:
Simplest route first. Put the new battery on a bench charger overnight and then try again. Or just try really giving the connections a good cleaning.

ZV
Click to expand...

I really think this is a system short or something. I remember a year ago I wanted to try to get it started. I figured the battery was dead, and I was correct, so I attached a known good battery jumper unit to it and the same exact thing happened. That is, nothing. No cranking at all. Even when I was trying to jump it. Same behavior of the lights as well.
 
Sounds like some of the connections got corroded. Try cleaning the main connections (both battery connections, the main ground, and the starter terminals).

ZV
 
fuzzybabybunny said:
Ok, so this is what I plan on doing:

1. I've already added the HEET Fuel Water Remover
2. I got a new battery - old battery is beyond dead and disposed of already
3. I'll try turning on the car
4. Immediately go to change the oil.

For future periods of extended storage I'm going to:

1. Make sure all fluids and oil and filter are new.
2. Get 4 jacks STANDS and 1 jack and raise it so there's not as much pressure to make the tires go flat, but I won't raise it so much that the wheels hang (bad for suspension)
3. Put fuel stabilizer in the tank.
4. Have the tank be as empty as possible.
5. Pop off the fuel injectors and spray it and the insides with oil - what kind of oil?
6. Take out the battery. Do I have to hook up the batter to a trickle charger somewhere? Would leaving a disconnected battery sitting for a couple years by itself irreparably damage it (eat through the plates, lead to sulphination, etc)?

I'm about to go shopping in a few minutes.
Click to expand...

FTFY
 
Well, I cleaned the main connections really good and still the same symptoms. I'd bet it's a short somewhere. I mean, the needles jump by themselves...

I put fuel stabilizer in the tank. Put it on 4 jack stands (the wheels are floating a bit - the stands weren't short enough to allow me to just take a little bit of pressure off the wheels). How bad is this for suspension?

I disconnected the battery and I'm just going to leave it disconnected in the engine bay for a year or so or whenever I can get back to the car. Bad idea?

I just really don't have time to fix the car right now.
 
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fuzzybabybunny said:
Well, I cleaned the main connections really good and still the same symptoms. I'd bet it's a short somewhere. I mean, the needles jump by themselves...

I put fuel stabilizer in the tank. Put it on 4 jack stands (the wheels are floating a bit - the stands weren't short enough to allow me to just take a little bit of pressure off the wheels). How bad is this for suspension?

I disconnected the battery and I'm just going to leave it disconnected in the engine bay for a year or so or whenever I can get back to the car. Bad idea?

I just really don't have time to fix the car right now.
Click to expand...

Clean the main chassis ground and the starter terminals too. If there's a fuse block on the main positive lead off the battery (I've seen that on some Toyotas) clean that out thoroughly too. This really isn't something that should take more than an hour or so. There was a reason I listed more things to clean than just the battery connections.

You should, at the very least, leave the battery connected to a float charger. Otherwise it'll just be dead when you get back to it.

Leaving the car with the wheels off the ground won't hurt the suspension a bit.

ZV
 
Zenmervolt said:
Clean the main chassis ground and the starter terminals too. If there's a fuse block on the main positive lead off the battery (I've seen that on some Toyotas) clean that out thoroughly too. This really isn't something that should take more than an hour or so. There was a reason I listed more things to clean than just the battery connections.

You should, at the very least, leave the battery connected to a float charger. Otherwise it'll just be dead when you get back to it.

Leaving the car with the wheels off the ground won't hurt the suspension a bit.

ZV
Click to expand...

I'm sure that the battery will be discharged by the time that I get back, but would this discharge basically destroy the battery?
 
MagnusTheBrewer said:
Probably not but it will significantly lower it's lifespan. A trickle charger is the way to go.
Click to expand...

A trickle charger will burn the battery out over time because it never shuts itself off. What he wants is a float charger. A float charger has the circuitry to shut itself off when the battery is full.

ZV
 
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